Bodegas in NYC seek security upgrades after shooting incident
THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) — Panic buttons and security cameras. That's what workers in New York City's 25,000 bodegas need to stay safe, according to Fernando Mateo with the United Bodegas of America.
Mateo held a news conference Wednesday following the shooting death of 38-year-old Victor Bautista outside a bodega on Trinity Avenue in the Bronx.
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Mateo said, 'If we didn't have the videotapes that showed how Victor Bautista got murdered, the police would have no leads in this case. How much is a life worth, is what we ask.
Mayor Eric Adams announced $1.6 million for panic buttons to be installed in 500 bodegas. Mateo said Governor Hochul promised 5 million dollars for businesses to upgrade security features, but Mateo said instead, Hochul gave tax credits.
Mateo said, 'We don't want tax credits. It doesn't count. You can't buy cameras with credit. Give us the money we need to make our small businesses safer. allow us to save lives.'
Governor Hochul's press office did not respond to a request for comment.
There's been no arrest in Bautista's murder.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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